167: How to create a subscriber-only podcast

The podcast ecosystem is against you, but there are ways to do it

People often ask me how to do a podcast that’s only available to paying subscribers. It’s possible, and I’ll explain a few options below. The main challenge is that the entire podcast ecosystem is built on the Big Tech premise of open content supported by advertising.

Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, etc., all assume that model.

There are a few models that allow for subscriptions, like Patreon, or the subscription options on some of the platforms I just mentioned.

The trouble with those is that the platform gets the subscriber information.

This has been the problem for decades. Big Tech prefers free content supported by ads, but they will accommodate subscriptions, so long as the platform controls access. They do this because they know the value is in the customer information.

The smart publisher wants to keep the customer information for himself, especially if he offers other subscription content. The subscriber doesn’t want one login for the website and another login to access the podcast.

That makes the first option for creating a subscriber-only podcast very obvious. Put your podcast behind the same paywall you use for your other content. You might have to upgrade your server capabilities to manage streaming, but that’s all doable.

The problem with this option is discovery. People expect to find you on the major platforms – Apple and so forth. If you listen to ads for podcasts, they’ll say something like “find it wherever you get your podcasts.” But those, as I’ve mentioned, all assume it will be free.

Let me quickly mention two other options, and then I’ll give you my recommendation.

There’s the cheap and simple option that doesn’t require a paywall. Host the podcast in an obscure directory on your own website. Don’t include it in your site navigation, and don’t allow search engines to index those pages. When a new episode is released, send an email to your paying subscribers with a link to the episode.

There are obvious downsides to that option, but it’s worth considering, especially if you just want to test the concept of a subscription podcast.

The next option goes along with the paywall model above. Host the podcast on your subscriber-only app.

But make sure you include decent functionality. You don’t want to frustrate your subscribers. I get a subscriber-only podcast and I’m always cursing their tech.

Perhaps the best option is to have two versions of your podcast: a free version, that goes on all the regular platforms, and a subscriber-only version that you deliver on your password-protected website or app. This gives you the benefit of the ordinary podcast discovery process, but also allows you to keep your best content for your subscribers.